Election Commission reviews Gujarat poll preparations

Ahmedabad, Nov 19: Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, reviewed on Sunday arrangements for the first phase of Assembly polls in five districts at a meeting with local officials in Ahmedabad.

Zutshi said the Election Commission is leaving no stone unturned to ensure free and fair elections in Gujarat. He held discussion with returning officers of Kutch, Sabarkantha, Patan, Banaskantha and Mehsana districts before holding elaborate deliberations with district election officers and superintendents of police and took stock of the law and order situation and poll-related arrangements.

The meeting was also attended by ADGP (law and order) Shivanand Jha and DIG (law and order) Raju Bhargav. State Chief Electoral Officer Anita Karwal apprised Zutshi about polling booths, electoral rolls, law and order situation, voter awareness campaign, implementation of Model Code of Conduct among other details.

The meeting was also attended by additional chief electoral officers Sanjeev Kumar, Murli Krishnan and Ashok Manek. Zutshi will meet top officials from Vadodara, Dahod, Anand, Panchamahals and Kheda districts in Godhra on Monday.

Zutshi later said that election officials in the state were being trained for the high-profile election next month. He, however, refused to comment on the BJP's 3D projections of Chief Minister Narendra Modi at various venues, saying he would be able to comment only after going through detailed reports.